Average carbon footprint in Pakistan

Pakistan emits about 0.7 tCO2e per person per year (territorial emissions). That places it around #53 globally, which is considered very low on a per-person basis.

This is about 85% below the global median of ~4.7 tCO2e per person. Within Asia, Pakistan ranks around #15 and sits about 90% below the regional median of ~6.7.

Population is roughly 251.3 million (2024).

GDP per capita is approximately $1,479 (2024).

Urban population is around 39% (2024).

Electricity renewables share is roughly ~33% of electricity.

Grid carbon intensity is roughly ~398 gCO2/kWh.

Per-capita emissions divide a country's total CO₂ output by its population. That lets us compare nations fairly regardless of size. A large country with high total emissions can still have low per-person emissions if its population is very large.

Globally, the main sectors driving emissions are electricity and heat, transport, industry, buildings, and food. The mix varies by country: colder climates often use more heating; car-dependent societies have higher transport emissions; industrial economies tend to show more industry-related CO₂.

For Pakistan, with very low per-capita emissions, the challenge is often to keep emissions low while improving living standards. Avoiding lock-in of fossil infrastructure and prioritizing clean energy from the start can help.

GDP per capita is around $1,479 (2024). Lower per-capita emissions in many such economies reflect less energy-intensive lifestyles, though rapid development can increase emissions as transport, industry, and buildings expand.

Around 39% of the population lives in urban areas (2024). Urbanization can affect transport patterns, building density, and heating and cooling demand. Denser cities often support public transit and district heating; sprawl tends to increase car dependency and per-capita emissions.

Electricity mix and carbon intensity affect how much emissions drop when transport and heating electrify. Improving the grid is often a prerequisite for deep decarbonization of other sectors.

Territorial emissions count CO₂ produced within national borders. Consumption-based emissions attribute CO₂ to where goods are consumed. Both perspectives matter for understanding the full carbon footprint.

Territorial emissions count CO₂ produced within a country's borders. Consumption-based emissions attribute CO₂ to the country where goods and services are consumed, including imports. Pakistan's per-capita figure above is territorial (~0.7 tCO2e/person/year). Consumption-based data for Pakistan is around ~0.9 tCO2e/person/year, indicating imported carbon footprint. Both perspectives matter for understanding the full impact.

For Pakistan, with very low per-capita emissions, the goal is often to keep emissions low while improving livelihoods. Potential levers include:

• Ensuring new infrastructure is low-carbon from the start
• Building resilience while keeping emissions low
• Avoiding high-emission development pathways
• Expanding clean energy access without locking in fossil dependency
• Supporting policies that phase out fossil fuels

• World Bank: SP.POP.TOTL (2024)
• World Bank: NY.GDP.PCAP.CD (2024)
• World Bank: SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS (2024)
• CO₂ per capita, emissions: OWID (2024)
• Electricity intensity & renewables: OWID (2024)